The controversy surrounding the leadership award giving to President Buhari by the so-called Martin Luther King Jr’s family has been the major scandal rocking the image branding of President Buhari ahead of the next year general election.
About two days ago, news went viral on social media that the family of the late famous American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr was awarded Nigeria’s president with “1st Black History Month National Black Excellence and Exceptional African Leadership”.
President @MBuhari today at the State House received Martin Luther King Jnr’s family. He was also conferred with the 1st Black History Month National Black Excellence and Exceptional African Leadership Award 2018. #AsoVillaToday pic.twitter.com/vijPkeZPZ4
— Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) March 26, 2018
When Nigerians sees the news days ago, they felt insulted with the so-called leadership award giving to Buhari. The of the family came under the attack of Nigerians and activist groups who described it as an insult to the legacy of the late civil rights leader, Rev. Martin Luther King. The situation assumed new dimensions as the official memorial center of the Rev. Martin Luther King dissociated itself from the award.
Shameless people, Buhari and his people. Imagine making a song and dance of an award presented by Martin Lurther King’s brother’s wife in HER PERSONAL CAPACITY.
No previous winners. No backing by a governing board. Just a plaque picked up from a store with no meaning.
Clowns.
— Babanla (@biolakazeem) March 29, 2018
President @MBuhari today at the State House received Martin Luther King Jnr’s family. He was also conferred with the 1st Black History Month National Black Excellence and Exceptional African Leadership Award 2018. #AsoVillaToday pic.twitter.com/vijPkeZPZ4
— Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) March 26, 2018
Coretta Scott King who died in 2006 presented an award to Buhari. Dead people always working in Nigeria.
Let’s just throw this country away 😂😂😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/EJAUbRPq9W
— Eka (@Lionezz__) March 29, 2018
This is Buhari, the man elected to preside over the day to day running of our nation smiling while 3 women scammed him inside the presidential villa.
Who knows how much of the monies he borrowed he’s signed off to con artists in the last 3 years.
What a national ignominy +odium pic.twitter.com/AUvECDj5J7
— Prince ‘Yemi Adebowale (@yemi_adebowale) March 29, 2018
After questioning about the authenticity of the awards, The King’s family and The King Center has distanced themselves from the leadership award giving to Buhari:
Apparently, even a President is not above scamming 😂🤣
The Martin Luther King Jnr award to Buhari yesterday is fake. The king Family has distanced themselves from the award. 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/0v4ii0IURh
— Oba Of Nigeria (@UrbanCulture06) March 29, 2018
The award given to President Buhari of Nigeria was not given by The King Center, at the request of The King Center or by the children of #MLK and #CorettaScottKing. @MrFixNigeria
— The King Center (@TheKingCenter) March 28, 2018
What a big shame! The REAL Martin Luther King Jr’s family has denied the award and the people who gave President @MBuhari the so called award, claiming to be representatives of the Martin Luther King. Family. How low can a Presidency go? I repeat, how low? https://t.co/xlYrFLzPvU
— Reno Omokri (@renoomokri) March 28, 2018
A recent twist to the leadership award giving to President Buhari was a source close to the Presidency saying that President Buhari paid $3m for ‘fake’ Martin Luther King Jr’s leadership award. While report published on leaders.ng, reported that Senior Special Assistant to the president on Foreign Relations & Diaspora, Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa facillaited the award through a Ghanaian self acclaimed foreign diplomat, Erieka Bennett.
However, a quick fact-check on Erieka Bennet revealed that She runs a Non Governmental Organization called, Diaspora African Forum based in Accra, Ghana. Erieka Bennett calls herself ‘Ambssador At Large’ as she uses her influence to facilitate foreign awards for unsuspecting African leaders. Erieka Bennett was a former aide to Ghanaian president, John Mahama.
LeadersNG investigations revelaed that Dr. Erieka Bennett was contracted by Abike Dabiri-Erewa to help use her NGO to bring Martin Luther King jr’s family to Nigeria to give President Muhammadu Buhari award.
Dr. Erieka Bennett, LeadersNG learned, ed someone in King’s family, a distant relative of Martin Luther King called Dr. Naomi Barbara after King Center declined earlier request by Bennett to influence an award for a certain African leader.
The award which was paid for by the Nigerian government as part of the ongoing PR stunt to launder president Buhari’s image was not on official portals that was opened strictly to promote the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther king’s assassination. Our Presidency source said, Buhari only got to know about the award on the day of confirnment as he had no pre-knowledge of what Dabiri-Erewa was up to.
However, LeadersNG further learned that $3m was paid for the fake Martin Luther King Jr’s award that was conferred on Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari. You would recall that a pro-democracy group, Concerned Nigerians had earlier condemned the award given to president Muhammadu Buhari.
The group in its statement berated the King’s family for awarding Nigerian president a leadership award as it negates the ideals and principles of what America’s foremost civil rights activist stood and died for. The $3m according to our source, was provided by APC Board of Trustees member, Alhaji Nasir Dano.
